Pastures New

I think the time has come to seek pastures new. I am not a great believer in the grand good bye, but I have made too many friends here to want to disappear without a word.

I have been fairly relaxed about having threads locked in the past but to have a lighthearted, totally inoffensive thread locked (Leverkusen) because it is "pointless" has convinced me that the forum is moving in a direction I don't want to go and it is time to move on.

Life's too short to worrry about whether the thread I am about to start has a point or is just a bit of meandering for fun.

There is nothing in the forum rules about threads having to have a point, and any such rule would be difficult to deduce from some of the threads, or individual postings, we have seen!

However, there is something in the rules about the Forum Editor's decision being final, and as Peter says, there is no way of doing it inoffensively, and that is just how I have found it, offensive, and since there there is no appeal I shall go.

Thank you all for your company,your help and your support when I have needed it over the last few years.

I shall miss each and every one of you.

I wish you all the best in the future, perhaps our paths will cross agin elswewhere.

I shal still be lurking, particularly in the Helptoom where my posts might have some point, and around 9.15 on a Friday night for another lighthearted diversion, but rather than give, or take, further offemce I think I must knock it on the head.

You appear to be saying that you are leaving the forum for Pasture New, yet are still remaining. So can I assume that your comments are a 'getting it off the chest' moment. Something that I for certain and perhaps other's go through from time to time ?.

I fully understand your sentiments and comments, and have on occasions aired my own personal views (as you may have well seen?) as to the way the forum is heading, but alas to very little avail, except to receive ridicule and 'put-downs' from certain regulars, which to me is not what a discussion or debate forum is about. Whether this is through pure arrogance or ignorance, that someone as to be right, I would't really know or possibly understand. We all have our own differences, so there is no point in my view, of one or more person's insisting that they are always right, and perhaps demand higher discussion or debating standards from other's who just want to contribute and offer there own thoughts on a subject raised.

But that is my own opinion, which no doubt will bring further comment that I am wrong, as it isn't personal, but at times it can clearly come across as being very personal. But taking into consideration, my lifespan on this world is getting shorter, so my more relaxed attitude might contribute to "so why worry, everyone to their own I suppose, and while perhaps not accepting it, just having to allow for it?".

I often think of Speakers Corner as a pub. As the day wears on various people come and go. The quietish ones, the opinionated ones, the old duffers reminiscing. Conversations will take place on a huge variety of subjects, some will be of great substance, others will have little relevance or interest to the wider audience but harmlessly pass the time to those at that particular table. Should things get heated or language too earthy the landlord will have a word and calm things down. I have however never in 30 years of visiting a variety of pubs of all types heard a landlord say "you can't talk about that because it's pointless".

FE, whilst you may well feel to be 'within your right' to lock the thread you have, in my opinion, acted unreasonably and frankly your statements on closing the thread come across as pompous and arrogant.

Been thinking of doing the same, for the same reasons. S'pose I'll be in 'bad books' now. Life's too short and, for me,some of the forum neighbourhood's going to pot. If we'd still had the PM email I would have been able to tell you where I've started going.